Kristine Mantaring is a Junior in
CNAS,
majoring in
Neuroscience.
Lately, Kristine’s busy life has been filled with preparing for Medical School;
studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCATs), and filling out endless
applications. She says, “Preparing for Med School applications is A LOT of work,
I’m overwhelmed with everything that has to be done”.
It’s obvious when speaking with Kristine that she has
a real commitment to her career goal of one day being a Neurologist and we were
interested in where passion like that comes from. Kristine tells us, “When I was
13 my dad got really sick with
Guillain-Barré syndrome;
a disorder where the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system.
The Neurologist who cared for my dad was just amazing. He saved my dad’s
life and gave him a second chance. I want to be the kind of person who can have
an impact like that. That Neurologist inspired me to be a doctor.”
Later in High School Kristine took an AP psychology
class and that’s when her interest in the nervous system really took off; giving
her a frame work of understanding about her father’s illness that she hadn’t had
before. There was no question for Kristine that she’d be a Neuroscience Major at
UCR.
Besides her work on Medical School preparation,
Kristine is also a member of an on campus organization called
Golden Arches.
Golden Arches is a peer health education program, addressing issues such as
alcohol and drug use as well as social issues. In the last year Golden Arches’
achievements have included: coordinating a speaker series on student health
issues, tutoring at local elementary schools and bringing those students to UCR
for tours, and one of their proudest achievements; successfully petitioning for
the removal of tobacco products sold on campus.
When asked what advice Kristine might have for other
CNAS students, she replied, “My sister is an incoming freshman and I tell
her a lot about the importance of time management. I was shocked by how quickly
mid-terms came when I was a freshman. I recommend everyone keep a really
organized calendar. Make sure you schedule EVERYTHING you do, it really helps.”
Laughing, Kristine adds, “Don’t forget to schedule
eating and sleeping time! That’s important too!”
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